Episode 920

‘Ah, I just made up my mind, and look at me now.’

Lee Han quickly reflected on himself.

He had been inspired by the young skeleton headmaster’s good deeds and made a resolution, but here he was, getting annoyed again.

“Um. Sorry. I lost my temper for no reason with everything going on lately. Here. I’ll give you some grapes.”

-Get lost!

“……”

At the angry hamster’s curse, Lee Han threw a handful of grapes into the cage.

The hamster shrieked and ran off into a corner.

‘Ah, there I go again!’

Lee Han reflected once more, feeling a twinge of self-reproach.

To do this, right after making his resolution…

‘Kuh. Is it impossible for me? To act like the young headmaster…’

“Student Lee Han. Are you all right?”

Having gathered up the scepter’s light and carefully stored it in the case again, Professor Garcia looked anxiously at his student.

Experiencing the scepter was like having compressed information forcibly inserted into your mind in a short time.

No matter how talented a wizard, confusion and disorientation were only natural.

“I’m fine, Professor. And I learned a lot.”

“Really? What did you learn?”

“The real headmaster—I mean, the young headmaster’s example…”

“Didn’t you just say the real headmaster?”

“…I decided I should do more good deeds, too.”

‘Really?’

Professor Garcia tilted her head inwardly.

From her perspective, her student was already doing plenty of good deeds.

By Einrogard student standards, that was more than kind enough…

‘No. There’s no reason to stop thoughts like that.’

Feeling uncertain, Professor Garcia quickly corrected herself.

Doing good never hurts, no matter how much. If a student comes to such a realization, the teacher should support them.

“Student Lee Han, I’m proud of you. For thinking that way.”

“Whew. But as soon as I got back I took it out on the hamster…”

“…Th-that much is fine. I’m sure even the hamster understands.”

Throwing a few grapes at an evil magic criminal—surely even the young skeleton headmaster would say, “Well, that much is fine…”

No need to get down over such things.

“The Fall spell?”

Professor Voladi, who’d been listening quietly, asked softly.

In fact, the Fall spell was the most important purpose of this whole journey.

If they couldn’t change the Mad Clone’s mind, they’d have to start searching for another solution from scratch.

That could mean trouble spreading beyond Einrogard itself.

“I think I’ve got a clue.”

After some thought, Lee Han answered cautiously.

He didn’t have complete confidence. But thanks to what the young headmaster had said, he had some ideas.

—Just as you came down out of true concern for me, sincerely care for others. Then you’ll soon understand.

And the Mad Clone had said something similar.

—Get used to this magic. You lowly one must realize it on your own.

‘Hmm. Now that I think about it, they’re not similar at all.’

The first was kindly given, the second just self-absorbed.

Once again, Lee Han realized how twisted and cranky the skeleton headmaster had become with age.

How was he supposed to interpret the latter?

‘In the end, to progress further in magic, you need to understand the meaning behind it.’

This was rare in lower-circle magic. If you just got the mana flow and chants right, you didn’t have to worry about what the creator’s intent had been.

But high-circle magic couldn’t be perfectly replicated just by following the formulas.

The Small World spell was a good example. Even with the same spell, unless the wizard truly understood the intent behind it, it couldn’t be cast.

Lee Han speculated that high-level spells, though constructed differently, all contained a small world within—like the Small World spell.

Unless you mastered and understood the meaning infused in that small world, you couldn’t bring out its full power.

…Frankly, at Lee Han’s grade level, this was something he didn’t need to learn at all, but he had figured it out by self-study.

“The Fall spell is like that too. I need to cast it sincerely.”

Profoundly moved by the words and deeds of the young skeleton headmaster, Lee Han planned to try casting the Fall spell again with that resolve.

He wasn’t certain, but he couldn’t think of another way for now.

“I can’t guarantee it’ll work, but I want to try—”

“That’s good enough!”

“That’s settled.”

“……”

When the two professors carried on as if he’d already succeeded, Lee Han was left speechless.

What is with these people??

“Professors, are you sure you heard me right? I said there’s no guarantee I’ll—”

“Yes, yes, we heard, Student Lee Han. As soon as you’ve rested, we’ll go right away. King Yacha is probably pushing himself too hard as well.”

“……”

Lee Han suddenly missed the young skeleton headmaster.

If he were here, he’d have scolded, “Listen to your student’s words properly!”

‘What are they going to do if I fail?’

The two professors, with or without their student’s worry, chatted as if the problem was already solved.

“By the way, I took some hurried notes on the young headmaster’s spells during our journey. I’ll organize them later for a thorough review.”

Professor Garcia pulled out a wad of crumpled paper.

There were spells the young headmaster had taught directly, and some Garcia had reverse-engineered just by observing the structure.

It hadn’t been a long trip, but it was more than enough to deeply inspire a wizard.

“Did Professor Baegrek take notes as well?”

“I did.”

“I thought so.”

Professor Voladi produced a finely bound black leather notebook. The two professors compared notes on which spells had impressed them.

‘Professors really are something else.’

Lee Han shook his head.

He’d only been thinking about how fierce the ancient era was, and whether he couldn’t somehow invite the young skeleton headmaster to Einrogard…

Yet the professors, no sooner had they returned than they started trading magic notes. Maybe that’s what it takes to be an Einrogard professor.

“Hmm. Then I’ll start teaching Student Lee Han the time magic here first.”

“Understood. The young headmaster’s Whidor spell will be hard to teach at the moment.”

“……”

Seeing the two professors forcibly trying to pass down magic from the young headmaster, Lee Han widened his eyes.

What kind of evil was this??

‘If the young headmaster were here, he’d never tolerate this!’

• * *

King Yacha was greatly startled by Lee Han’s party’s arrival.

Hmm. Disciple of Osu. My prediction was off. To think you failed after all.

Seeing Lee Han’s dark expression, he was sure the preparations had failed.

It was a shock, but there was no other way. King Yacha immediately gave the next advice.

In that case, the only option is to destroy it together with me. Evacuate the students and call in the wizards. I will do my best to stall it, but never let your guard down—

“Wait, I didn’t fail! Your Majesty.”

Professor Garcia shouted, stopping King Yacha as he strode forward.

King Yacha asked, bewildered.

You didn’t fail?

“Yes!”

Then why does Osu’s disciple look so gloomy?

“This is just my normal face.”

Lee Han replied with a deadpan expression.

Of course, he could understand where Professor Garcia and Professor Voladi were coming from.

Given that Lee Han was also the skeleton headmaster’s student (and recently his direct disciple), for them alone to monopolize the magic would be rude and petty.

Thinking of the young headmaster’s generous heart, they had to pass down what they’d learned to Lee Han as quickly as possible.

…Of course, Lee Han’s own wishes didn’t factor into it.

‘Why has the amount of magic I need to learn increased, just because the professors forced themselves to learn more?’

No matter how he thought about it, it made no sense.

Hmm. I misjudged, then. In that case, Disciple of Osu, show me what you have prepared!

At King Yacha’s call, Lee Han snapped out of his thoughts and stepped forward.

The people nearby cheered him on.

“Student Lee Han can do it!”

-You must succeed!

“……”

Lee Han gave the hamster cage a kick. The hamster fired off a string of curses.

-Why are you always picking on me?

“How can I kick the professor?”

-……

At the curiously logical answer, the hamster could only accept it.

Well, that’s true!

‘Focus. Forget resentment and remember the insight I felt back then.’

–Gonadaltes’ Fall– was a spell born from the young skeleton headmaster’s resolve to shoulder the suffering of others.

Understanding that resolve, Lee Han would need to be ready to support it, in his own way.

‘I don’t know how much I can help… but I’ll do as much as I can…’

As Lee Han focused, he wondered for a moment if it was all right to make such a half-hearted resolve.

Shouldn’t he at least be as determined as, “I’ll give up all my fortune and the rest of my life” when casting a spell?

But he couldn’t help it. In a real casting, lies simply don’t work.

Just a little more than before.

Doing his very best, however much he could, with all sincerity.

At that moment, Lee Han felt his spiritual vision expand wide.

It was the same vast feeling he got when he first understood a world and its laws.

‘This is…!’

• * *

The first thing the Mad Clone saw as he recovered his senses was King Yacha choking him with one arm.

“…What are you doing?”

You’ve come back to yourself, my old friend.

“Come back to myself? What…”

With a glance around the workshop, a grasp of the mana flows outside, and a casual scan of the magic set up on the perimeter, the Mad Clone instantly grasped the situation.

“So it was reversed?”

That’s right.

“How did you stop it?”

The excellent wizards here, along with your disciple, blocked you.

Professor Garcia, wearing a very awkward expression, waved his hand.

Unlike with her student, Professor Garcia still found dealing with the cold and crazy clone awkward.

“As royalty, I offer my thanks.”

“A-ah, no. I was just doing what needed to be done.”

“Wizard, a royal’s thanks must be received with your chest out. It’s not something just anyone is given.”

‘Is there any way I can make him act like the young headmaster…?’

Thinking of the young skeleton headmaster’s kindness, Professor Garcia grew a little gloomy.

It hadn’t even been that long, but he already missed him.

“Let go.”

As you wish.

King Yacha promptly let his arm fall away. The Mad Clone quickly unsummoned the base of his avatar army outside.

Professor Garcia, watching the situation, asked cautiously.

“You-you’ve given up on continent conquest, right?”

“Did royalty ever say such a thing? I suppose I did. No need to worry.”

The Mad Clone spoke with sarcasm.

To him, continent conquest was just a blunder made from impatience.

Even disregarding the aftermath, think of how many resources would be wasted in the conquest process itself.

To the Mad Clone, who aimed to achieve his vow through magic, such a method seemed needlessly clumsy and crude.

‘Phew.’

Professor Garcia let out a sigh of relief. Hearing him speak, it really did sound like he’d given up on continent conquest.

“Royalty will ask one thing as well.”

“Ah. Yes.”

“Why isn’t royalty’s disciple present?”

“Uh…”

Professor Garcia hesitated, and the Mad Clone tensed just a bit.

Could he have made a mistake during the casting of the Fall spell?

“…He left because he still had exams to take.”

“……”